taring at Adrian. "I t
ther asked me to make su
you to make
n remained ca
ser
d me for
odded. "A
hought that was the end of it. Th
ere's not going to b
ll s
ed. "There's n
away. I didn't wait until he reached the elevator. I sla
re. My grandfather was dead. My mother had decided who I was going to marry.
I looked at the
ll ended. A message app
r: Ca
you send Adria
screen. Another
fficult, Caleste. You and
the engagement than the fact that I had just buried my gran
nal
been dead for l
kno
ou already plan
ndfather left the
a company. N
t family, you may no
s. "Is that all
't about
rse it
les
eed
n't hav
For a moment, ne
uietly, "Good
ste,
nally returned to me. But instead of relief, all I could
ords hurt more than anyt
had never told me he loved me. The problem wasn't Sam. The problem was me. I had spent fiv
s. Most were from my mother. I deleted them without reading. Then I got dressed and went to work.
y with coffee cups and phones pressed against their ears. The screens display
day. Yet the world kept moving. I walked t
ion desk, talking to one of the junior analysts.
iately brighte
et to keep mov
face. Then his smile fa
away. "
him and picked u
at it.
t this
his when you have
he cup.
me for anot
ld've sta
ave
ave a funer
red look. "That
small smile tug
smiled ba
figures checked before the afternoon meeting. I already went thro
ded it
t the folder. "
t ni
it after driving
e supposed to review
s ago, Vance had assigned Sam to mentor m
er treated me like an inexperienced heiress. He taught me. Argued with me. Corrected
me with the same patient expre
Vance at eleven," he contin
handl
iled. "I'm sitt
row. "Still tryi
d you still ne
aughed. "T
ha
oying con
re we
e office. I followed him. Ha
at som
wil
He smiled and disappe
didn't know he was breaking my heart. He was si
already lost
/1/126852/coverbig.jpg?v=767f3ac1bc947602f14fdf67b81d7013&imageMogr2/format/webp)